Two detectives at Midrand Police Station are under investigation by their colleagues and the Independent Police Directorate on allegations that they stole 6000 US dollars from the suspect they arrested on Monday.
The two police officers, Sergeant Mbiza and Sergeant Chabalala, who are assigned to work on fraud cases at the police station are accused by Chatheirne Sandi, a Zimbabwean national whom they arrested on a charge of fraud and illegal immigration of under declaring the money they confiscated from her during her arrest on Monday.
Zimoja can reveal that Sandi said the two police officers found an amount of 5042 US dollars when they came to arrest her, and they also asked her to take them to her place of residence to conduct further searches where they uncovered another 2800 US dollars.
POLICE CONFISACTE 7842 US DOLLARS BUT DECLARE 1420 US DOLLARS
However she said to her surprise, despite confiscating a total amount of 7842 US dollars from her, she was shocked to discover that only a mere 1420 US dollars was declared in the police register as part of the belongings taken from her including her cellphone.
In total when converted to South African currency, the amount allegedly stolen by the detectives amounts to R120 000.Sandi said she made this discovery after she was released following the courts removal of her case from the court roll.
She said she went back to the police station to reclaim her items, which included an iPhone..
She said to her shock, the police officers had only declared 1420 US dollars, which is equivalent to R26 600, and her cell phone was only returned to her by Sergeant Mbiza who appeared to have kept the gadget for himself.
"Ms Sandi alleges that when she was arrested, she had 5042 US dollars in her possession. She further alleges that Mbiza and Chavalala took her to her house and conducted a search and confiscated a further 2800 US dollars. All in all, 7842 US dollars was allegedly taken from Ms Sandi and only 1420 Dollars were booked in. A cellphone which was confiscated from Ms Sandi was handed back to her by Mbiza, " reads Sandi police statement deposed at the station.
STATION AND IPID INVESTIGATES CASE
According to the police statement seen by Zimoja, the case against the two detectives was now being investigated by the station and the Independent Police Directorate ( IPID).
ZiMoja understands that despite the case being opened against them, the police officers are still going about their normal work and were never arrested nor suspended pending the investigations.
This was also confirmed by three sources working at the station, who said the case was going to be a tricky one to prove, stating that as things stand it?s just going to be the suspect word against the two police officers.
"The officers would have to be found in possession of the US dollars for the case to hold water. But so far theres no such evidence. Same goes for IPID, they are likely to decline to investigate the case," said one of the sources.
STILL AT WORK
The second source told Zimoja that the two officers were not suspended by the station and are still working on their cases. The official who cannot be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media said the officers appear unfazed by the allegations levelled against them, and they are going about their work as normal.
